Just for kicks
When players boot the ball in the stadium this weekend they will be wearing proper kit on the field. But now people dressed as penguins, black swans, SpongeBobs and Pink Panthers can have a kick, too.
That's because of a virtual sport video game giving everyone a chance to sit atop the points-scoring leaderboard like Jonny Wilkinson, Dan Carter, Matt Burke and Hugo Porta.
To celebrate 30 years of Sevens sponsorship, Cathay Pacific is hosting the Kickathon Kinect Game, which has been on display this week at the Marco Polo Hotel in Kowloon for guests and random rugby fans. The game simulates place kicks such as penalties and dead-ball try conversions (different from sevens' drop-kick conversions).
Kickathon Kinect was also played by the Sevens team captains. Top of that leaderboard are New Zealand, followed by Canada and the USA.
The game has been set up at the Cathay Pacific booth in the stadium. Participants can upload photos and scores to their Facebook page and get a free inflatable hand for taking part. Anthony Hopewell from the Cathay information management department is a keen player and was the model for the Kickathon avatar.
'Like other Kinect games, the Kickathon uses motion sensors to judge the distance and accuracy of your kick,' marketing manager Camilla Taylor said. The popular 2011 TV advertisement showing Cathay cabin crew using their service skills to 'beat' a team will run again online, at the stadium and in Lan Kwai Fong.
Bring it on.
